Inverting apparatus



Dec. 13, 1955 H. M. KENDALL 2,726,779

INVERTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l IIIHII;

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Dec. 13, 1955 H. M. KENDALL INVERTING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledFeb. 4, 1952 INVENTOR. HAROLD M. KENDALL Dec. 13, 1955 H. M. KENDALL2,726,779

INVERTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 d [L o TINVENTOR.

& HAROLD M. KENDALL United States Patent Ch 2,726,779 Fatented Dec. 13,1955 INVERHNG APPARATUS Harold M. Kendall, Potsdam, N. Y., assignor toNordica A. Kendall, Potsdam, N. Y.

Application February 4, 1952, Serial No. 269,761

4 Ciaims. (Ci. 214-312) My invention relates to new and improvedmechanism for handling and inverting receptacles. Without limitationthereto, the invention relates particularly to handling and invertingcans which are filled with milk, in order to dump the milk into areceiving tank and then to deliver the empty cans to an auxiliarymachine, such as a can-washing machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide an addition to themechanism which is shown in my applica tion Serial Number 114,046, filedin the United States Patent Office on September 3. 1949, now Pat.#1609316.

Numerous additional objects and features and advantages of my inventionare disclosed in the annexed description and drawings, which illustratea preferred em bodiment thereof.

Fig. l is a top plan view of the improved machine, whichdiagrammatically shows the auxiliary machine M, which may be thecan-washing machine shown in my application Serial No. 114,046;

Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view, on a larger scale than Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section, partially in elevation, on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of the rotary can inverter;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respective transverse sections, partially inelevation, on the lines 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal elevation on the line 8-8 of Fig. l.

Feeding mechanism for feeding cans to inverter unit 18 and for feedingcans away from washing machine 11 Fig. 1 includes the blockrepresentation of a washing machine M for washing the emptied cans.Anterior said washing machine M, the cans are inverted and emptied, andthe inverted and empty cans are fed to said washing machine. An endlesschain 4 is used to feed the upright cans to the inverter, and to feedthe washe cans away from the exit platform 2 of the washing machine M.

Fig. 1 shows a vertical and transverse sprocket 6, which is fixed to ahorizontal and longitudinal shaft 33; a vertical and transverse sprocket9, which is fixed to a horizontal and longitudinal shaft 24; a verticaland longitudinal sprocket 14, which is turnably connected to yoke 59, sothat sprocket 14 is turnable about a transverse axis relative to saidyoke; a vertical and longitudinal sprocket 11, which is fixed tohorizontal and transverse shaft 79; and a horizontal sprocket 8, whichis fixed to a vertical shaft 80. These shafts are turnable in bearingsof the frame of the machine.

Said chain 4 has a top run 3 and a bottom run 7. Said top run 3 and saidbottom run 7 are vertically alined. Apart of the representation of toprun 3 is'omitte'd in Fig. l,- in order to show a part of the bottom run7. Said top run 3 is moved in the direction of the arrows which areshown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Said chain 4 has respective bights which mesh with these sprockets 8, 6,9, 14 and 11.

For convenience, the top and bottom runs 3 and 7 are described,beginning at sprocket 8. Between sprockets 8 and 6, the chain 4 hasstraight and vertically alined portions of the runs 3 and 7, which forma vertical bight which meshes with sprocket 6. At the sprocket 8, thetop and bottom runs 3 and 7 of chain 4 have respective superposedhorizontal bights which respectively mesh with sprocket 8. Thishorizontal bight of bottom run 7 is shown in Fig. 1. These top andbottom runs 3 and 7 form a vertical bight which meshes with sprocket 9Said top run 3 has a curved run-portion 10, part of which is .shown inbroken lines in Fig. 1. This top run-portion 10 begins at the top ofsprocket 9 and extends to the top of sprocket 11 and is joined to alower run-portion 12 of the lower run 7, by means of a vertical bightwhich meshes with sprocket 11. This lower run-portion 12 extends to thebottom of sprocket 14, at which said lower run-portion 12 is joined totop run 3 by a vertical bight which meshes with sprocket 14. From thetop of sprocket 14, the run 3 extends in the shape shown in Fig. 1, backto its top horizontal bight at sprocket 8. Additional conventionalhorizontal guide-sprockets, not shown, similar to the horizontalsprocket 8, are provided for guiding the runs 3 and 7 in the shape shownin Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 5, the chain 4 consists of a number of channel-shapedlinks. These links are pivotally connected to each other in the usualmanner. These links are supported slidably upon channel-shaped guidetracks 5, which are fixed to cross-bars of the frame F of the machine.

This chain 4 is driven continuously.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 8, a gear 78 is fixed to the shaft 79 ofsprocket 14. Said gear 78 meshes with a lower gear 77, which is fixed toa shaft 22a. One end of a crank arm 33a is fixed to shaft 22a. The rightend of a link 34a is pivotally connected to the free end of crank arm33a. Fig. 1 shows a transverse and horizontal rock shaft 50, which isthe main shaft of the machine. This main rock shaft 50 is continuouslyoscillated at constant frequency, by any suitable drive means. The leftend of link 34a is pivotally connected to a crank arm, not shown, whichis fixed to main rock shaft 50, so that gear 77 is rotated continuouslyin the same direction by the oscillation of main shaft 50. The gear 78is thus continuously rotated in the same direction to actuate belt 4continuously.

Fig. 1 shows a loading station 15 at the front of the machine. Thefilled cans C are placed in upright position upon the top run 3 atloading station 15 or at any other part of top run 3 anterior theinverter.

Fig. 1 also shows an unloading station 16 of the top run 3. The invertedand washed cans C may be removed from top run 3 at station 16, or at anyother part of top run 3 which succeeds the washing machine M.

The cans C have only frictional contact with the chain 4. Hence, if themovement of a can or cans C on top run 3 is stopped, the chain 4 canslip relative to the can or cans C.

As previously noted, the sprocket 14'is turnably connected to a yoke 59.

As shown in Fig. l, the right end of a horizontal and longitudinal rod64) is turnably connected to the left end of yoke 59. Rod 66 can turnaround its horizontal and longitudinal axis relative to yoke 59. Themember 61, which has a longitudinal and threaded bore, is fixed-to anystationary part of the machine. An externally threaded part of theturnable rod 60 extends through said threaded bore of member 61. Theexternal thread of rod 60 engages the internal thread of the bore ofmember 61. The left end of rod 60 has an offset handle 62. By turninghandle 62,

in each can.

Means for slidably supporting the cans while they are on top run 3 Thechain 4 is preferably used only to feed the cans C frictionally withouttaking up the weight of said cans.

' As shown in Fig. 5, vertical and transversely spaced rails or bars Bare fixed to cross-bars Ba which are fixed to the frame F of themachine. 7

When a can C is on top run 3, the bottom of said can C rests slidably onsaid fixed rails B. As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom of each can has avertical recess, so that each can C has a bottom circular edge wall.

Fig. also shows a track or bar T which is fixed to frame F. As shown inFig. 1, there are two such bars T.

'The bottom rim of each can C which is on top run 3 rests slidably onbars B, whose transverse spacing is less than the transverse spacingbetween the companion tracks or bars T. The transverse distance betweenthe tracks or bars T is slightly greater than the diameters of the cansC. It is optional and preferable to provide a sufficient transversespace between the tracks or bars T, so that when a can C is moved by toprun 3 of chain 4, said can C is 22 is turned from its inlet or receivingposition to its inverting position.

The inverter takes up and inverts a filled can and dumps its contentsinto a large storage tank, not shown, while the platform 22 is turnedthrough an angle of 180 from its receiving position to its final dumpingposition. The shaft 23 is continuously turned in the same direction.

Hence each face of the platform 22 has the same parts. Thus, therespective ends of platform 22 are provided with oppositely disposedhooks 27 and 27a. As shown in Fig. 6, the respective faces of platform22 also have respective can-supports 28 and 2811, which engage the canat the inner end of its neck. These hooks 27 and 27a and thecan-supports 28 and 28a provide end holding means for the cans.

As also shown in Fig. 6, the respective faces of platform 22 also havecorresponding advancing or tilting levers 37 and 37a, whose function islater described, and

corresponding respective intermediate side flanges 75 and 75a. Theseintermediate flanges 75 and 75a abut or are close to the cans which arehandled on platform 22. V

A part of the representation of flange 75 has been 1 omitted from Fig.4. These intermediate flanges 75 and slightly tilted from the verticalposition, so that the bottom circular rim .of can C contacts with onlyone of the rails B and with only one of the bars T.

The top horizontal surface of run 3 is optionally and preferablyslightly above the smooth and planar and hori- V zontal tops of thesupporting rails B, in order to maintain each can C tilted from thevertical position, while the can is on top run 3.

Means for rejecting bad milk anterior the inverter unit 18 As shown inFig. 1 and Fig. 2, the bar T which is adjacent the top run-portion 10 isprovided with a gate G anterior the inverter unit 18. 7

As best shown in Fig. 2, said gate G comprises rods 20 and 20a, whichare connected by bars 19 and 19a. The

bar 20 is connected by pivot 21 to the adjacent fixed bar T.

Figs. 1 and 2 show an inspection and rejection station 17 anterior theinverter unit 18. An attendant at station 17 removes the covers of thecan C and inspects the milk The covers are not replaced on the cans.

If a can of milk is to be rejected, the attendant opens the gate G andtransfers the rejected can to the top run-portion 10, so that therejected can can be removed from top run 3.

The inverter unit 18 This inverter unit comprises a planar platform 22,

which has side planar flanges 25 and 26 and intermediate flanges 75 and75a which are perpendicular to the plane of platform 22. Theseflanges.25 and 26 are located in respective planes which areperpendicular to platform 22 and which are transverse'to the axis ofshaft 23 of platform 22. The intermediate flanges 75 and 75a are in acommon plane, which is parallel to the planes of flanges 25 and 26. Saidplatform 22 is fixed to said shaft 23 which, as previously noted, isturnable in bearings of the frame F. Said shaft 23 has an end 23a. Saidshaft 23 is directly above the shaft 24 of sprocket 9.

As shown in Fig. 3, the flange 25 is disc-shaped, so that it has acircular periphery. Said flange 25 is symmetrical relative to platform22. The center of flange 25 is on the axis of the inverter shaft 23.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the other flange 26 has a noncircularperiphery, and said periphery has convex edges 26a and 26b. These convexedges 26a and 26b are disposed symmetrically relative to platform 22.The center of flange 26 is on the axis of shaft 23.

Each can is located between side flange 26 and the respeetiveintermediate flange 75 or 75a, while the platform 75a are respectivelyof equal length at each side of shaft 23, as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig.3, a gear 29 is fixed to the shaft 23, and said gear 29meshes with. a gear 30 which is fixed to shaft 24 of sprocket 9. Asviewed in Fig. 3, shaft 24 is turned clockwise and shaft 23 and theplatform 22' are turned counter-clockwise.

As previously noted, the sprocket 9, which is continu ously rotated bychain 4, is fixed to shaft 24, so that the platform 22 is rotatedcontinuously and at a constant or substantially constant angularvelocity.

Fig. 3 shows the initial receiving position a, in which a can isinitially received by platform 22. At'this time, the plane of platform22 is substantially parallel to the longirudinal or vertical axis of thecan-which is in position a. For convenience, it is assumed that the faceof platform 22 which has hook 27 and can-support 28 and internal flange75 is the receiving face in Fig. 3.

When a can is initially received in position a, the angle hook 27 islocated below and forwardly of the neck support 28.

Said hook 27 releasably engages rim of the can. 7 j

The platform 22 and the received can are then turned in unison, so thatsaid can and said platform are turned successively through positions Itand d. The dumping of the milk begins as soon as the can has beensufficiently inverted. The position a' is that inverted position of thecan, into which it is turned in unison with platform 22. Thecorresponding position of platform 22 is its'outlet position. I

Referring to Fig. 6, when the respective. can and the, inverted platform22 are in the inverter d position, the can is sharply forwardly tiltedby a tiltiugmovementrelathe bottom circular tive to platform 22, in thedirection of rotation of .platgravity.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the fixed inlet platform 1 of.

the auxiliary washing machine M,'to which the inverted empty cans aresuccessively transferred from the inverter, as later described. The cansare thus transferred in a direction parallel to the axis, of shaft 23.This inlet. platform 1 comprises a seriesof spaced and parallel bars Fm.As shown in Fig. 2, two of these bars Fm have front extensions or frontbars and 36.

As shown in Fig. 6, when a can is in position d, the

circular rim of its open mouth abuts or is close to bar 35. The rim ofthe mouth of the can turnably abuts bar 35 while the can is turnably andsharply advanced by tilting from position d to outlet position e, bymeans of the quick tilting and emptying stroke of lever 37 or 370.

The lever 37 is optionally planar. This lever 37 is turnably connectedby a pivot 38 to the respective part of flange 26. Said body of lever 37extends through a slot in flange 26. The normal position of lever 37, inwhich it is parallel to platform 22, is shown in full lines in Fig. 5.Said lever 37 is biased to said normal position by gravity or by aspring. Said lever 37 has a tall, 39 which is shorter than lever 37.This tail 39 is rigid with lever 37. As shown in Fig. 2, a roll 40 isturnably connected to frame F. When the platform 22 and can C are inposition a, the tail 39 strikes or is about to strike roll 40, thus veryrapidly turning lever 37 around its pivot 38, as platform 22 is rotated,and tilting the can C very rapidly to position e, in which the can Cclears and is Spaced from the angle hook 27, so that the can C does notprevent the further continuous turning of platform 22 7 When thussharply tilted from position d to position e,

the can is guided between the side flange 26 and the internal flange 75.

As previously noted, the can may be vertical or substantially verticalin position e, to which it is tilted by the lever 37, forwardly relativeto platform 22. The can is then supported by the neck support 28, and itmay also abut the member 75.

Means for transferring the can from run 3 to the platform of inverterunit 18 As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, driven transfer rolls 34 are fixed toshaft 33 of sprocket 6, which is driven by chain 4. As shown in Fig. 2,idler rolls 31 are fixed to idler shaft 32, which is turnably mounted inframe F.

These driven rolls 34 transfer the can from run 3 to platform 22 in adirection perpendicular to the axis of shaft 23. 'The speed of feedingmovement of rolls 34 may be the same as the speed of feeding movement ofchain 4. The idler rolls 31 serve as rotatable guide supports for thetransferred can, during said transfer.

Means for stopping the movement of the cans anterior the inverter unit18, in order to feed the cans one by one to, the platform 22 Normally, acan is fed to platform 22 and a can is ejected from platform 22 while itturns through an angle of 180, so that the inverter unit 18 normallyoperates continuously.

The frictional feed of the cans C by chain 4 to the inverter unit 18 istemporarily stopped, while chain 4 slips relative to the stopped cans C,in order to supply the cans one by one to platform 22.

Fig. 3 shows one of a pair of stops 63. These stops 63 are alined, asshown in Fig. 2.

Each stop 63 is fixed to a respective lever 64, which is pivoted at 65to frame F. Said levers 64 are fixed to a connecting cross-bar 66.

As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, said cross-bar 66 has an extension, whichoverlies a lever 67, which is pivoted at 68. Lever 67 may be thusturnably mounted by member 68 on idler shaft 32, or lever 67 can bepivotally connected at 68 to the frame F.

Fig. 3 shows the stops 63 in their raised stop positions, in which theyengage the interior cylindrical face of the bottom recess of the canwhich is directly anterior platform 22, thus stopping the feedin of saidcan until the inverter platform 22 is ready to receive it. If stops 63engage the outer cylindrical face of the respective can which isdirectly anterior the platform, such can is held against movement toinverter platform 22, until said inverter platform has turned 180.

The normal position of lever 67 is shown in full lines in Fig. 3. Lever67 is maintained yieldingly in said n01- mal position by gravity or by aconventional biasing spring. The normal positions of levers 64 are shownin full lines in Fig. 3. The. biasing force of lever 67 maintains lever64 yieldingly in said full-line positions, in which stops 63 are in thenormal stop positions shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 3, the outer vertical and planar face of flange 25 ofplatform. 22 has curved cam strips 69, which have forward ends 69a.

When an end 69a of a face cam 69 strikes lever 67, said lever 67 isturned clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3, to shift said lever 67 temporarilyto the broken line position shown in Fig. 3, so that levers 64 aretemporarily shifted to their release broken-line positions of Fig. 3, inwhich stops 63 are sufliciently depressed'to clear the can C. The steps63 are held in their upper or operating stop positions, until a can hasbeen transferred from inverter platform 22 to the inlet platform 1 ofthe washing machine M.

Manually controlled means are also provided for stop ping the frictionalfeed of the cans to the inverter platform 22, whenever desired.

As shown in Fig. 5, a manually operable lever 70 is pivoted at 71 to theframe F. Said lever 70 has a cam nose 72. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5,the extension of cross-bar 66 has a pin 73. When lever 70 is turnedcounter-clockwise manually from its position of Fig. 5, its cam nose 72engages pin 73, thus raising pin 73 from its normal broken-line positionof Fig. 3 to its upper fullline position, in which the stops 63 are heldin stop positions.

M'eans for transferring an inverted and emptied can from platform 22 toinlet platform 1 of machine M This inlet platform 1 is fixed. to theframe F.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a transfer rod 41, which has a branch 4111 which isslid-able in sleeves 42 which are fixed to a carriage 43. This transferrod 41 is slidable in a di rection which is parallel to the axis ofshaft 23. This direction is lateral relative to the rotating path ofplatform 22. Said transfer arm 41 has a hook-shaped end 41b, whose shapeis shown in Fig. 3. When a can is held inverted, its inverted mouth ispositioned so that the end 4111 is adjacent said inverted mouth, asshown in Fig. 7. The rod 41 transfers the respective can from positione, to. position f which is shown in Fig. 2. v

In order to transfer the inverted can from position f into the machineM, the carriage 43 is also provided with conventional one-way feed pawls44, which are piv oted by pivots 45 to carriage 43. The conventionalactuating bar 47 is connected by pivots 48 to pawls 44 in order to turnsaid pawls 44 relative to carriage 43. Stops 46 are fixed to carriage43, in order to limit the turning movement of pawls 44 relative tocarriage 43 in one direction. There are two sets of such feed pawls.Only one set is shown.

While the can is transferred from platform 22 to inlet platform 1, thecircular rim of the mouth of the can rests upon bar 35 and said rimturnably or slidably abuts bar 36, as shown in Fig. 6. A guide bar Ga,which is fixed to the frame of the machine, also abuts and guides thecan C while it is thus transferred. Said guide bar Ga has the curvedshape shown in Fig. 2, so that the can is turned to the upright positionwhile it is being transferred, if the can is tilted relative to thevertical position in position e.

Fig. 7 shows a rod 49 which is fixed to the main rock shaft 50. This rodhas a pin 53 which is located in a slot 52 of a head 51. This head 51 isfixed to the branch 41a of rod 41. Said head 51 is shifted between itsfullline and broken-line positions of Fig. 7. When head 51 is in itsfull-line position, the hook end 41b is external to and directlyadjacent the mouth of the can, which is then in position e. When head 51is in its broken-line position, the can 'is on the inlet platform 1, inthe'positionf of Fig. 2...

As shown in Fig. 7, the rod 49 also has a slot 55. The carriage 43 has apin 54 which extends into slot 55. Hence, after the rod 41 hastransferred a can to position f, in a stroke of said rod 41 which isindicated by the distance 56 in Fig. 7, the carriage 43 engages the canin position 1 and feeds the can into the machine M by means of the pawls44. The stroke of carriage 43 is indicated by the distance 57 in Fig. 7.

The washing machine M may be of the type shown in said applicationSerial No. 114,046. Said machine M has its own feeding mechanism, whichfinally ejects the washed and inverted can from the exit of machine M tothe fixed outlet platform 2, and to the top run-portion 10 of chain '4.Such mechanism and also the conventional one-way pawls shown herein aresufiiciently disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 114,046. Thismechanism includes the member 58.

The flange 26, which is adjacent the platform 1, is made sufficientlysmall so that the inverted can can be pushed past the respective edge26a or 26b of said flange 26, when the can is in position e, in order toshift the can to position 1.

I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention,tbut numerouschanges and omissions and additions and modifications can be madewithout departing from its scope. The invention also includes thesub-combinations disclosed herein.

I claim: l. Dumping mechanism for emptying a filled container by turningsaid filled container from an upright position to an inverted position,comprising a frame, a shaft turnable in said frame, an inverter platformwhich has endedg'es and side-edges, said platform being fixed to saidshaft, said shaft being located intermediate said endedges, turningmechanism connected to said shaft and turning said platform continuouslyin a single forward turning direction, said platform havingcan-retaining members at its end-edges and also having side edges andside flanges, said inverter platform being turnable in said turningdirection to a can-receiving position and being turnable in said turningdirection from said can-receiving position to a can-inverting positionin which said platform is rearwardly inclined relative to the verticalplane, a tilting lever located at each face of said platform, each leverhaving a body and an extension, each said lever being connected by arespective pivot to said platform, each extension extending over arespective side edge, each body being forwardly turnable relative to therespective face of said platform and in a direction away from saidrespective face, each lever being biased to a normal posi- 8 a tion inwhich its body is' in normal position relative to the respective face ofsaid platform, an abutment member connected to said frame, saidabutmentmember being in the path of movement of saidextensions, said abutmentmember being located to be struck by a respective extension when saidplatform is turning forwardly from said inverting position to turn therespective body forwardly relative to the respective face of saidinverter platform to a tilting position until the respective extensionclears said abutment member; each tilting lever tilting a can forwardlyrelative to said platform on the can-retaining member which is then inthe'lower position when the respective body of the respective lever isthus turned for wardly, a transfer member which is movable in adirection parallel to the axis of said' shaft, automatic mecha nisrn forreciprocating said transfer member in an idle stroke towards saidplatform and in a transferring stroke away from said platform, saidautomatic mechanism being timed to locate said transfer member at thebeginning of its transferring stroke when the respective body 7 is inits tilting position, said transfer member being adjacent a respectiveside flange, the can being thus forwardly tilted to clear saidrespective side flange, said transfer member removing the inverted canpast the respective.

side flange and from said platform in said transferring stroke. 1 I

2. Dumping mechanism according to claim 1, in which said dumpingmechanism has an additional platform to support the mouth of thecontainer which is being transferred. V V

V 3. Dumping mechanism according to claim 1, said dumping mechanism hasan additional platform to support the mouth of the container which isbeing transferred and additional means to turn the container to thevertical position while it is being transferred.

4. Dumping mechanism according to claim 1, said mechanism has a frictionfeed for feeding filled containers continuously towards said inverterplatform, stop means for stopping the movement of the filled containers,said stop means being biased to normal stop position, said inverterplatform having cam means for temporarily shifting said stop means torelease position.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS1,765,594 Lathrop et al. June 24, 1930 1,939,401 McClatchie Dec. 12,1933 2,085,936 Wolf July 6,1937 2,119,642 McClatchie June 7, 19382,133,044 Rufus Oct. 11, 1938 2,473,955 Kendall June 21, 1949

